Based on all open sources of information, we tried to find out, with an accuracy of a few minutes, what happened in the center of Moscow 20 years ago.
16:00 Moscow time. A man in camouflage uniform told reporters. That he is a fighter of the Alpha special forces and will enter the White House to begin negotiations on the surrender of its defenders.
15:50 Moscow time. It looks like the confrontation has come to an end. Leaflets entitled “The Testament of the White House Defenders” are scattered around the White House. The message says: “Now, when you read this letter, we are no longer alive. Our bullet-riddled bodies are burning within the walls of the White House.”
“We truly loved Russia and wanted order to be restored in the country. So that all people have equal rights and responsibilities, so that breaking the law is prohibited for everyone, regardless of position. We had no plans to escape abroad."
“Forgive us. We also forgive everyone, even the boy soldiers who were sent to shoot us. It's not their fault. But we will never forgive this devilish gang that sat on Russia’s neck. We believe that in the end our Motherland will be freed from this burden.”
15:30 Moscow time. Troops loyal to President Yeltsin resumed shelling the White House.
15:00 Moscow time. The Alpha and Vympel special forces received orders to storm the White House. However, the command says that it will continue to negotiate for some time, trying to convince the defenders of the building to surrender.
14:57 Moscow time. White House defenders say they have no idea what kind of snipers were on the roof.
According to former first Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the RSFSR Andrei Dunaev, before his eyes, a police officer was shot by a sniper. “We ran to the roof, where a shot was heard, but there was no one there anymore. Judging by how everything happened, neither the KGB nor the Ministry of Internal Affairs were to blame for this. This was done by someone else, maybe even a foreign intelligence agent,” Dunaev suggested.
14:55 Moscow time. One of the Alpha Group officers is killed by a sniper.
“One of our soldiers, young lieutenant Gennady Sergeev, died. His group drove up to the White House in an infantry fighting vehicle. A wounded soldier lay on the asphalt; he had to be evacuated. However, at that very moment the sniper shot Sergeev in the back. But the shot did not come from the White House - that's for sure. This shameful murder had only one goal - to provoke Alpha, so that the fighters would burst into the building and kill everyone there,” said the commander of the Alpha group, Gennady Zaitsev.
14:50 Moscow time Unknown snipers are firing indiscriminately into the crowd around the White House. Yeltsin's supporters, police officers, and ordinary people. Two journalists and a woman were killed, two soldiers were wounded.
14:00 A short lull at the White House. Several defenders of the building came out to surrender.
13:00: According to former MP Vyacheslav Kotelnikov, there have already been many victims on different floors of the White House in Moscow.
“When I walked from one floor of the building to another, I was immediately struck by how much blood, dead and mutilated bodies there was everywhere. Some of them were beheaded, others had their limbs torn off. These people died when tanks started shooting at the White House. However, pretty soon this picture stopped shocking me, because I had to do my job.”
12:00: The Public Opinion Foundation organized a telephone survey of Muscovites. As it turned out, 72% of respondents supported President Yeltsin, 9% were on the side of parliament. 19% of respondents refused to answer the questions.
11:40: Due to the uncoordinated actions of the police security cordons, several teenagers managed to break into the parking lot in front of the White House. Aggressive youth tried to take possession of weapons abandoned by the wounded. This was announced by the commander of the Taman division. Several cars were also stolen.
11:30: 192 victims required medical assistance. 158 of them were hospitalized, 19 subsequently died in hospitals.
11:25: Heavy gunfire resumed in front of the building. The ceasefire agreement was violated. At the same time, people remained in the White House.
11:06: Crowds of people gathered on Smolenskaya Embankment and Novy Arbat who wanted to watch the assault on the Supreme Council. The police failed to disperse the onlookers. According to photographer Dmitry Borko, there were many teenagers and women with children in the crowd. They stood very close to the building and seemed not at all concerned about their safety. 11:00: A ceasefire is declared to allow women and children to leave the White House.
10:00: Defenders of the White House said there were many dead in the building as a result of tank fire.
“When the tanks started shooting, I was on the 6th floor,” said one of the eyewitnesses of the events. - There were a lot of civilians there. All unarmed. I thought that after the shelling the soldiers would rush into the building and tried to find some kind of weapon. I opened the door of the room where a shell had recently exploded, but I couldn’t get in: everything was covered in blood and strewn with fragments of bodies.”
09:45: Supporters of President Yeltsin, using megaphones, convince the White House defenders to stop resisting. “Drop your weapon. Give up. Otherwise you will be destroyed." These calls are heard again and again.
09:20: Tanks fire at the upper floors of the White House from the Kalinin Bridge (now Novoarbatsky Bridge). Six T-80 tanks fired 12 salvos at the building.
“The first salvo destroyed the conference room, the second destroyed Khasbulatov’s office, the third destroyed my office,” said former Vice President and one of the leaders of the White House defenders, Alexander Rutskoy. “I was in the room when a shell flew through the window. It exploded in the right corner of the room. Luckily, my desk was in the left corner. I ran out in complete shock. I don’t know how I even stayed alive.”
9:15: The Supreme Soviet is completely cordoned off by troops loyal to President Yeltsin. They also occupied several neighboring buildings. The building is constantly being shelled with machine guns.
09:05: A televised address by President Boris Yeltsin was broadcast, in which he called the events taking place in Moscow a “planned coup” organized by communist revanchists, fascist leaders, some former deputies, representatives of the Soviets.”
“Those who are waving red flags have once again stained Russia with blood. They hoped for surprise, that their impudence and unprecedented cruelty would sow fear and confusion,” Yeltsin said.
The President assured Russians that “the armed fascist-communist rebellion in Moscow will be suppressed at the earliest possible moment.” as soon as possible. For this purpose Russian state there are the necessary forces."
09:00: Defenders of the White House responded with fire to shots fired by the president's supporters. As a result of the shelling, a fire started on the 12th and 13th floors of the building.
08:00: Infantry fighting vehicles opened targeted fire on the White House.
07:50: A shootout began in the park adjacent to the White House.
07:45: The wounded defenders of the White House and the bodies of the dead were moved to one of the building's lobbies.
“I saw about 50 wounded. They lay in rows on the floor in the lobby. Most likely, the bodies of the dead were also there. The faces of those lying in the front rows were covered,” recalled Nikolai Grigoriev, a surgeon and former Minister of Health of Chuvashia, who actually led the makeshift medical unit of the besieged Supreme Council.
07:35: White House security personnel are called to leave the building.
07:25: Five infantry fighting vehicles destroyed the barricades erected by the defenders of the White House and took up positions on Free Russia Square - directly in front of the building.
07:00: Shooting continues outside the White House. Police captain Alexander Ruban, who was filming everything that was happening from the balcony of the Ukraina Hotel, was mortally wounded.
06:50: The first shots are heard near the White House in the center of Moscow.
“We were alerted at 06:45. Still sleepy, we ran out of the building and immediately came under fire. We lay down on the ground. Bullets and shells whistled just ten meters from us,” said one of the White House defenders, Galina N.
The October Putsch (shooting of the White House) is an internal political conflict in the Russian Federation in September-October 1993, which occurred as a result of the constitutional crisis in the country that arose after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The October putsch went down in history as one of the most violent and brutal coups d'etat in modern history. The riots that took place on the streets of Moscow with the participation of the armed forces claimed the lives of many people, and even more were injured. The October putsch is also known as the “White House shooting” because of the armed assault on the White House (where the government met) using tanks and heavy equipment.
Reasons for the coup. Confrontation of political forces
The October putsch was the result of a long crisis in power, which lasted since 1992 and was associated with the confrontation between the old government, remaining from the times of the USSR, and the new one. At the head new government stood President Boris Yeltsin (who seized power as a result of the August 1991 putsch), who was a supporter of complete separation (later of the Russian Federation) from the USSR and the destruction of all remnants of the Soviet system of governance. Yeltsin was supported by the government headed by Chernomyrdin, some people's deputies and members of the Supreme Council. On the other side of the barricades were opponents of the political economic reforms carried out by Yeltsin. This side was supported by the bulk of the members of the Supreme Council, led by Ruslan Khasbulatov, as well as Vice-President Alexander Rutskoy.
Yeltsin did not suit all members of the government. In addition, the reforms that Yeltsin carried out in the first years as president raised a lot of questions and, in the opinion of some, only aggravated the crisis that reigned in the country. The unresolved issue with the Constitution of the Russian Federation also complicated the situation. As a result, dissatisfaction with the actions of the new government grew to the point that a special council was convened, at which it was planned to resolve the issue of confidence in the president and the Supreme Council, since conflicts within the government only worsened the situation in the country.
The course of the October putsch
On September 21, Boris Yeltsin issued the famous “decree 1400,” which announced the decision to dissolve the Supreme Council and the Congress of People’s Deputies. However this decision contradicted the Constitution in force at that time, so legally Boris Yeltsin was automatically removed from the post of President of the Russian Federation. Despite this, Yeltsin continued to serve as president, regardless of his legal status and the government's dissatisfaction.
On the same day, the Supreme Council met and, together with the Congress of People's Deputies, stated that the Constitution had been violated and declared Yeltsin's actions a coup d'etat. Yeltsin did not listen to these arguments and continued to pursue his policy.
On September 22, the Supreme Council continued its work. Yeltsin was replaced by Rutskoy, who overturned the former president’s decision to dissolve the Supreme Council. An emergency Congress of People's Deputies was convened, at which a decision was made on a number of dismissals of representatives of the “Yeltsin” cabinet of ministers. Amendments were adopted to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provided for criminal liability for a coup d'etat.
On September 23, the Supreme Council continued its meeting, and Yeltsin, despite his status, issued a decree on early presidential elections. On the same day, there was an attack on the building of the joint command of the CIS Armed Forces. The military began to get involved in the coup, and control began to tighten.
On September 24, the Deputy Minister of Defense presented an ultimatum to the members of the Supreme Council, according to which they must surrender all weapons, close the Congress and leave the building. Deputies were then prohibited from leaving the White House building (ostensibly for their safety).
From that moment on, the situation began to worsen. Both sides began to erect barricades, rallies and armed clashes continued on the streets of Moscow, but the Supreme Council continued its meetings, refusing to leave the building.
On October 1, under the patronage of Patriarch Alexei II, negotiations between the parties took place, as a result of which on October 2, the parties began to remove the barricades that had been put up. However, a little later, the Supreme Council announced its rejection of the agreement reached. The White House building was again cut off from electricity and began to be surrounded by barricades, and negotiations were postponed to October 3, but due to numerous rallies in the city, negotiations never took place.
On October 4, a tank assault on the White House took place, during which many deputies were killed and wounded.
Results and significance of the October Putsch
Assessments of the October coup are ambiguous. Some believe that Yeltsin’s government seized power by force and destroyed the Supreme Council, others say that Yeltsin was forced to take such measures due to ongoing conflicts. As a result of the coup d'etat in September-October 1993, the Russian Federation finally got rid of the legacy of the USSR, completely changed the system of government and finally turned into a presidential republic.
The economic and political crisis that began in the 80s of the 20th century in the USSR intensified significantly in the 90s and led to a number of global and radical changes in the territorial and political system of one sixth of the land, then called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and its collapse .
It was a period of intense political strife and confusion. Supporters of maintaining a strong central government came into conflict with supporters of decentralization and sovereignty of the republics.
On November 6, 1991, Boris Yeltsin, who by that time had been elected to the post of President of the RSFSR, ceased his activities by decree communist party in the republic.
On December 25, 1991 he spoke on central television last President Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. He announced his resignation. At 19:38 Moscow time, the USSR flag was lowered from the Kremlin, and after almost 70 years of existence Soviet Union disappeared forever from the political map of the world. A new era has begun.
Crisis of dual power
Confusion and chaos, which always accompany changes in the political system, did not bypass the formation of the Russian Federation. At the same time as the Congress of People's Deputies retained broad powers, the post of President was established. Dual power arose in the state. The country demanded rapid changes, but the President, before the adoption of the new version of the basic law, was severely limited in power. According to the old Soviet Constitution, most of the powers were in the hands of the highest body legislative branch- Supreme Council.
Parties to the conflict
On one side of the confrontation was Boris Yeltsin. He was supported by the Cabinet of Ministers, headed by Viktor Chernomyrdin, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, a small part of deputies, as well as security forces.
On the other side was the bulk of the people's representatives and members of the Supreme Council, headed by Ruslan Khasbulatov and Alexander Rutsky, who served as vice president. Among their supporters, the majority were communist deputies and members of nationalist parties.
Causes
The President and his associates advocated for the rapid adoption of a new basic law and strengthening the influence of the President. The majority were supporters of “shock therapy”. They wanted the speedy implementation of economic reforms and complete change all government structures. Their opponents advocated that all power should remain with the Congress of People's Deputies, and also against hasty reforms. An additional reason was the reluctance of the Congress to ratify the treaties signed in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. And supporters of the Council believed that the president’s team was simply trying to blame their failures in economic reform on them. After lengthy and fruitless negotiations, the conflict reached a dead end.
Open confrontation
On March 20, 1993, Yeltsin spoke on central television about the signing of decree No. 1400 “On phased constitutional reform in the Russian Federation.” It provided for management procedures during the transition period. This decree also provided for the termination of the powers of the Supreme Council and the holding of a referendum on a number of issues. The President argued that all attempts to establish cooperation with the Supreme Council had failed, and to overcome the protracted crisis he was forced to take certain measures. But later it turned out that Yeltsin never signed the decree.
On March 28, the Congress considers the proposal to impeach the President and dismiss the head of the Council, Khasbulatov. Both sentences failed required quantity votes. In particular, 617 deputies voted for Yeltsin’s impeachment, and at least 689 votes were needed. The draft resolution on holding early elections was also rejected.
Referendum and constitutional reform
On April 25, 1993, a referendum was held. There were four questions on the ballot. The first two are about trust in the President and the policies he pursues. The last two are about the need for early elections of the President and deputies. The respondents answered positively to the first two, but the latter did not receive the required number of votes. The draft of the new version of the Constitution of the Russian Federation was published in the Izvestia newspaper on April 30.
Escalation of confrontation
On September 1, President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree on the temporary removal of A. V. Rutsky from his position. The Vice President constantly sharply criticized the decisions made by the President. Rutskoi was accused of corruption, but the accusations were not confirmed. Besides decision did not comply with the norms of the current law.
On September 21 at 19:55, the Presidium of the Supreme Council received the text of Decree No. 1400. And at 20-00 Yeltsin addressed the people and announced that the Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Council were losing their powers due to their inactivity and sabotage. Temporary management bodies were introduced. The Russian Federation was appointed.
In response to the actions of the President, the Supreme Council issued a resolution on the immediate removal of Yeltsin and the transfer of his functions to Vice President A.V. Rutsky. This was followed by an appeal to the citizens of the Russian Federation, the peoples of the commonwealth, deputies of all levels, military personnel and law enforcement officers, which called for stopping the attempted “coup d’etat.” The organization of the security headquarters of the House of Soviets also began.
Siege
At approximately 8:45 p.m., a spontaneous rally was gathering near the White House, and the construction of barricades began.
On September 22 at 00-25 Rutskoi announced his assumption of office as President of the Russian Federation. In the morning there were about 1,500 people near the White House; by the end of the day there were several thousand. Volunteer groups began to form. Dual power arose in the country. The heads of administrations and security officials mostly supported Boris Yeltsin. Bodies of representative power - Khasbulatov and Rutsky. The latter issued decrees, and Yeltsin, with his decrees, declared all his decrees invalid.
On September 23, the government decided to disconnect the House of Soviets building from heating, electricity and telecommunications. The security of the Supreme Council was issued machine guns, pistols and ammunition for them.
Late in the evening of the same day, a group of armed supporters of the Armed Forces attacked the headquarters of the joint armed forces of the CIS. Two people died. The president's supporters used the attack as a reason to increase pressure on those holding the blockade near the Supreme Council building.
At 22-00 the extraordinary extraordinary Congress of People's Deputies opened.
On September 24, the Congress recognized President Boris Yeltsin as illegitimate and approved all personnel appointments made by Alexander Rutsky.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Government S. Shakhrai said that people's deputies had become virtually hostages of armed extremist groups forming in the building.
September 28. At night, employees of the Moscow Central Internal Affairs Directorate blocked the entire territory adjacent to the House of Soviets. All approaches were blocked with barbed wire and sprinklers. The passage of people and transport has been completely stopped. Throughout the day, numerous rallies and riots of supporters of the Armed Forces occurred near the cordon ring.
September 29. The cordon was extended all the way to the Garden Ring. Residential buildings and social facilities were cordoned off. By order of the head of the Armed Forces, journalists were no longer allowed into the building. Colonel General Makashov warned from the balcony of the House of Soviets that if the perimeter of the fence was violated, fire would be opened without warning.
In the evening, the demand of the Russian government was announced, in which Alexander Rutsky and Ruslan Khasbulatov were asked to withdraw from the building and disarm all their supporters by October 4 under a guarantee of personal safety and amnesty.
September 30th. At night, a message was circulated that the Supreme Council was allegedly planning to carry out armed attacks on strategic targets. Armored vehicles were sent to the House of Soviets. In response, Rutskoy ordered the commander of the 39th Motorized Rifle Division, Major General Frolov, to move two regiments to Moscow.
In the morning, demonstrators began to arrive in small groups. Despite the completely peaceful behavior, the police and riot police continued to brutally disperse the protesters, which further aggravated the situation.
October 1st. At night, negotiations took place in the St. Danilov Monastery with the assistance of Patriarch Alexy. The president's side was represented by: Oleg Filatov and Oleg Soskovets. Ramazan Abdulatipov and Veniamin Sokolov arrived from the Council. As a result of the negotiations, Protocol No. 1 was signed, according to which the defenders handed over some of the weapons in the building in exchange for electricity, heating and working telephones. Immediately after the signing of the Protocol, heating was turned on in the White House, electricity was installed, and hot food began to be prepared in the dining room. About 200 journalists were allowed into the building. It was possible to enter and exit the besieged building relatively freely.
2 October. The Military Council led by denounced Protocol No. 1. The negotiations were called “nonsense” and a “screen.” An important role in this was played by the personal ambitions of Khasbulatov, who was afraid of losing power in the Supreme Council. He insisted that he must personally negotiate directly with President Yeltsin.
After the denunciation, the power supply in the building was again cut off, and access control was tightened.
Attempted capture of Ostankino
14-00. A rally of thousands is being held on Oktyabrskaya Square. Despite attempts, riot police are unable to dislodge the Protestants from the square. Having broken through the cordon, the crowd moved towards Crimean Bridge and further. The Moscow Central Internal Affairs Directorate sent 350 internal troops to Zubovskaya Square and tried to cordon off the protesters. But within a few minutes they were crushed and pushed back, capturing 10 military trucks.
15-00. From the balcony of the White House, Rutskoy calls on the crowd to storm the Moscow City Hall and the Ostankino television center.
15-25. A crowd of thousands, having broken through the cordon, is moving towards the White House. The riot police who moved to the mayor's office open fire. 7 protesters were killed and dozens were injured. 2 police officers were also killed.
16-00. Boris Yeltsin signs a decree on the introduction state of emergency in the city.
16-45. Protestants, led by the appointed Minister of Defense, Colonel General, seize the Moscow City Hall. Riot police and internal troops were forced to retreat and in a hurry leave 10-15 buses and tents trucks, 4 armored personnel carriers and even a grenade launcher.
17-00. A column of several hundred volunteers in captured trucks and armored personnel carriers, armed automatic weapons and even a grenade launcher, arrives at the television center. In the form of an ultimatum, they demand to provide a live broadcast.
At the same time, armored personnel carriers of the Dzerzhinsky division, as well as special forces units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs "Vityaz" arrive at Ostankino.
Long negotiations begin with the security of the television center. While they are dragging on, other detachments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and internal troops arrive at the building.
19-00. Ostankino is guarded by approximately 480 armed soldiers from different units.
Continuing the spontaneous rally, demanding to be given airtime, the protesters attempted to break down the glass doors of the ASK-3 building with a truck. They succeed only partially. Makashov warns that if fire is opened, the protesters will respond with the grenade launcher they have. During the negotiations, one of the general's guards is injured from firearms. While the wounded man was being carried out to the ambulance, explosions were simultaneously heard near the demolished doors and inside the building, presumably from an unknown explosive device. A special forces soldier dies. After this, indiscriminate fire was opened on the crowd. In the approaching twilight, no one knew who to shoot at. They killed Protestants, journalists, and simply sympathizers trying to pull out the wounded. But the worst thing began later. In panic, the crowd tried to hide in Oak Grove, but there the security forces surrounded them in a tight ring and began shooting them at point-blank range from armored vehicles. Officially, 46 people died. Hundreds of wounded. But perhaps there were many more victims.
20-45. E. Gaidar appeals on television to supporters of President Yeltsin with a call to gather at the Mossovet building. From among those who arrive, people with combat experience are selected and volunteer detachments are formed. Shoigu guarantees that people will receive weapons if necessary.
23-00. Makashov orders his people to retreat to the House of Soviets.
White House shooting
October 4, At night, Gennady Zakharov’s plan to seize the House of Soviets was heard and approved. It included the use of armored vehicles and even tanks. The assault was scheduled for 7-00 am.
Due to the chaos and lack of coordination of all actions, conflicts occur between the Taman division that arrived in Moscow, armed people from the “Union of Afghan Veterans” and Dzerzhinsky’s division.
In total, 10 tanks, 20 armored vehicles and approximately 1,700 personnel were involved in the shooting of the White House in Moscow (1993). Only officers and sergeants were recruited into the detachments.
5-00. Yeltsin issues Decree No. 1578 “On urgent measures to ensure a state of emergency in Moscow.”
6-50. The shooting of the White House began (year: 1993). The first to die from a bullet wound was the police captain, who was on the balcony of the Ukraina Hotel and filmed the events taking place on a video camera.
7-25. 5 infantry fighting vehicles, crushing the barricades, enter the square in front of the White House.
8-00. Armored vehicles open aimed fire at the windows of the building. Under cover of fire, fighters of the Tula Airborne Division are approaching the House of Soviets. The defenders shoot at the military. A fire started on the 12th and 13th floors.
9-20. The shooting of the White House from tanks continues. They began to fire at the upper floors. A total of 12 shells were fired. Later it was claimed that the shooting was carried out with blanks, but judging by the destruction, the shells were live.
11-25. Artillery shooting resumed again. Despite the danger, crowds of curious people begin to gather around. There were even women and children among the onlookers. Despite the fact that 192 victims of the White House shooting have already been admitted to hospitals, 18 of whom have died.
15-00. Unknown snipers open fire from high-rise buildings adjacent to the House of Soviets. They also shoot at civilians. Two journalists and a woman passing by are killed.
The special forces units “Vympel” and “Alpha” are given the order to storm. But contrary to the order, the group commanders decide to make an attempt to negotiate a peaceful surrender. Later, the special forces will be secretly punished for this arbitrariness.
16-00. A man in camouflage enters the room and leads about 100 people out through the emergency exit, promising that they are not in danger.
17-00. The special forces commanders manage to persuade the defenders to surrender. About 700 people left the building along a lively corridor of security forces with their hands raised. They were all put on buses and taken to filtration points.
17-30. Still in the House, Khasbulatov, Rutskaya and Makashov asked for protection from the ambassadors of Western European countries.
19-01. They were detained and sent to the pre-trial detention center in Lefortovo.
Results of the storming of the White House
Very different assessments and opinions now exist about the events of “Bloody October”. Data on the number of deaths also vary. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, 148 people died during the White House shooting in October 1993. Other sources give figures from 500 to 1,500 people. More more people could have become victims of executions in the first hours after the end of the assault. Witnesses claim to have observed the beatings and executions of detained Protestants. According to the testimony of deputy Baronenko, about 300 people were shot without trial at the Krasnaya Presnya stadium alone. The driver who transported the corpses after the shooting of the White House (you can see photos of those bloody events in the article) claimed that he was forced to make two trips. The bodies were taken to the forest near Moscow, where they were buried in common graves without identification.
As a result of the armed confrontation, the Supreme Council ceased to exist as government agency. President Yeltsin asserted and strengthened his power. Undoubtedly, the shooting of the White House (you already know the year) can be interpreted as an attempted coup. It is difficult to judge who was right and who was wrong. Time will judge.
Thus ended the bloodiest page in new history Russia, which finally destroyed the remnants of Soviet power and turned Russian Federation V sovereign state with a presidential-parliamentary form of government.
Memory
Every year in many cities of the Russian Federation, many communist organizations, including the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, organize rallies in memory of the victims of that bloody day in the history of our country. In particular, on October 4, in the capital, citizens gather on Krasnopresenskaya Street, where a monument to the victims of the royal executioners was erected. A rally is held here, after which all its participants make their way to the White House. They are holding portraits of victims of “Yeltsinism” and flowers.
After 15 years since the shooting of the White House in 1993, a traditional rally was held on Krasnopresenskaya Street. His resolution consisted of two points:
- declare October 4 a Day of Mourning;
- erect a monument to the victims of the tragedy.
But, to our great regret, the participants of the rally and the entire Russian people did not receive an answer from the authorities.
20 years after the tragedy (in 2013), the State Duma decided to create a Commission of the Communist Party faction to verify the circumstances preceding the events of October 4, 1993. Alexander Dmitrievich Kulikov was appointed Chairman. On July 5, 2013, the first meeting of the created commission took place.
Nevertheless, Russian citizens are confident that those killed in the White House shooting in 1993 deserve more attention. Their memory must be perpetuated...
Former Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev died in Moscow at the age of 65. However, he became famous not as a warrior, but as a punisher who led the shooting of parliament in October 1993. The Interpreter's blog decided to see how the fate of other prominent punishers who received the “Hero of Russia” for the execution of Russian citizens turned out.
The cause of Pavel Grachev's death is said to be mushroom poisoning - on September 12, in serious condition, he was admitted to intensive care, and never regained consciousness.
Grachev reached the nomenklatura along a typical Soviet path. Born in the village of Rva, Tula region, he chose only possible variant career growth in the late Soviet period for a man of his class – through the army. Airborne troops, Afghanistan, were one of the first to betray the oath and defect to the side of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. But Grachev was remembered not for these tricks, but as the architect of a system that turned the army into a punitive appendage to the “vertical of power.”
The first step on the path of the Soviet-Russian army to an analogue of the German SS formations was the confrontation between the Supreme Council (the Supreme Council, whose symbol was the White House) and the administration of President Yeltsin in the fall of 1993. Let us briefly recall that then Yeltsin, with his decree No. 1400, trampled on the Constitution of the Russian Federation, deciding to disperse the Armed Forces. The Constitutional Court decided to remove Yeltsin from power, but the president (that’s right - ex-president), enraged by the demands of the two branches of government to respect the rule of law, shot the parliament and the civilians who defended it. According to official data, about 200 people were killed on October 3-4, according to unofficial data - about 2000. And on the territory of the Krasnaya Presnya stadium, for some time, a concentration camp was even set up for the defenders of the White House.
The Moscow police, riot police, FSK (as the KGB-FSB was then called) and even civilian citizens of liberal persuasions, armed with Yegor Gaidar’s team, took part in punitive operations at that time. For the first time since Civil War 1918-1922 The army also took part in the execution of representatives of the two branches of government.
In September 1993, Minister Pavel Grachev hesitated for a long time on which side to take (he tried to guess, as in August 1991, who would be the winner in the confrontation), but in the end he chose Yeltsin’s side. Within a few days, he put together a punitive brigade, which, for money and other material assets (apartments, as well as the right to plunder the premises of the Supreme Council), decided to participate in the execution of Russian citizens.
The punishers did not even hide themselves. For example, they did not wear masks (as special forces do now); they were awarded the title of Hero of Russia for dirty work by an open presidential decree.
The seeds of evil quickly sprouted: an army consisting of punitive forces usually ceases to fulfill its direct functions - to defend the Motherland. Pavel Grachev was convinced of this already in 1994, who liked to use a rabble of mercenaries in operations. That year, the Minister of Defense decided to quickly deal with rebellious Chechnya, and he sent a punitive vanguard into this republic - “heroes of Russia” who were directly involved in the shooting of the White House. But killing unarmed citizens is not the same as fighting against well-trained militias. The results were not long in coming:
“On October 4th, volunteer officers of the Kantemirovsky division Bashmakov S.A., Brulevich V.V., Ermolin A.V., Maslennikov A.I., Rudoy P.K., Petrakov A.I., Seryabryakov V.B. ., Rusakov and some others, led by Polyakov, Birchenko and Bakanov, proved to the whole world that for a small fraction of the “wooden”, at the request of our rulers, they will shoot anyone from tanks: children, women, the House of Soviets.
The officers of the 12th Tank Division of the 4th Tank Division, who distinguished themselves in Moscow on October 4, continued along the “Western contract” path. On November 26, 1994, the crews of three tank columns that entered Grozny with the money of Yeltsin and the FSK to storm the local “White House” abandoned their tanks at the first shots and surrendered. Of the mercenary officers who shot for money on October 4, 1993 from T-80 tanks at the House of Soviets, on November 26, 1994, 4 commanders of those Kantemirov tank crews immediately ran over to the Dudayevites. Demonstrating the typical behavior of mercenaries, the “tankers” betrayed all their employers (they were hired to shoot from tanks for 6 million rubles per nose), telling offendedly that the FSK promised them a safe walk and an easy victory (apparently, as in Moscow in 1993 - over women and children), and “those” suddenly started shooting too.
(Aerial photograph of the bombed presidential palace in Grozny, January 1995)
Among the mercenaries who surrendered to the Chechens was Captain Rusakov (in October 1993, senior lieutenant of the 12th Tank Division, 4th Tank Division). In October 1993, it was this tank mercenary who smugly admitted from the TV screen that back at 17.00 on October 4, 1993, he was hitting the White House with might and main from his T-80 tank, and when asked by the Aty-Bata TV commentator about his fate women and children in the House of Soviets answered simply: “And my wife sits at home and doesn’t go anywhere...”
Unlike Pavel Grachev, most of the punishers who received the title of “Hero of Russia” for the shooting of the White House still live happily. Here are short, post-execution biographies of some of them.
Alexander Kishinsky. Participated in Chechen war. In 1997 he retired to the reserve. Director of the private security company.
Nikolay Belyaev- rose to major general of the Airborne Forces.
Valery Evnevich. He rose to the rank of colonel general. He wandered around “hot spots”, crushing people in Tajikistan, Kosovo, the Caucasus, and Transnistria. Developed a plan for a trip to South Ossetia within the framework of “peace enforcement”.
Victor Erin- he was dragged to the level of deputy chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Service, under Putin he was appointed a businessman - to the board of directors of the Motovilikha Plants.
(Viktor Erin is still in the rank of Colonel General; his last rank is Army General)
Nikolay Ignatov– killed Russian people with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Then he was transferred to Kosovo (“the famous attack on Pristina”). Lieutenant General, Deputy Airborne Forces Commander:
Sergey Lysyuk- On October 3, 1993, the Vityaz detachment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Lysyuk opened fire on the people besieging the Ostankino television center, as a result of which 46 people were killed and 114 were wounded. Now he heads the Association for the Social Protection of Military Personnel and chairs other public offices:
Alexander Kishinsky- now the director of the private security company.
Sergey Seliverstov. He rose to the rank of colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 2009, he was appointed first deputy head of the 2014 Olympics Center at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
But the state took into account the merits of not all punishers. Many of them tried in vain. For example, Captain Grishin, being in the place of a tank gunner, personally fired at the White House, but was excluded from the list of those nominated for the Order of Courage. Due to alcohol abuse, he was dismissed from the Armed Forces under the article “inadequacy for the position.” Now he is a pensioner, head of the security service of a small bank. Major General Polyakov, commander of the Kantemirovskaya division in the fall of 1993, was dismissed from the army literally a couple of years later as “unreliable.” Army General Konstantin Kobets, despite zealously carrying out the order to shoot Russians, was placed in a pre-trial detention center in the late 1990s on charges of bribery and other crimes (he was released under an amnesty in 2000)
Here we must also add that in October 1993, and not only in Chechnya, these mercenaries often showed themselves to be completely inadequate. And they received the title of Hero of Russia for being completely inadequate - shooting at each other:
“At 7 a.m., Dzerzhin residents, advancing in armored vehicles to the parliament building, fired at people from the Union of Afghan Veterans, who expressed a desire to defend democracy on Yeltsin’s side. One of the veterans was seriously wounded. The Tamans, deciding that these armored personnel carriers had gone over to the side of the enemy, opened fire on them. Thus, a real battle broke out between the two armored columns, during which a Lithuanian citizen who happened to be at the epicenter of madness was killed.
But these turned out to be only flowers. The Dzerzhinsky armored personnel carrier number 444, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Savchenko, caught fire after an accurate shot from the craftsmen from the Taman division, and the commander, unable to leave the burning vehicle, died. A soldier was killed in another armored vehicle.
At approximately the same time, another armored group of internal troops flew into the territory of the Krasnaya Presnya stadium. At the same time, they did not spare cartridges: everyone around was generously poured with lead. And nearby were the same fighting guys from the 119th Parachute Regiment, who first hid from the fire, and then decided that these newly arrived warriors were certainly supporters of the Supreme Council, so they should be destroyed immediately. One of the airborne battalion commanders fired at the Dzerzhinsk residents with a grenade launcher. They answered adequately - from all trunks. The result was deplorable: the captain and corporal were killed, several people were injured.
At about 10 a.m., two Dzerzhinsky armored personnel carriers received orders to take positions on Krasnopresnenskaya embankment. And the Tamans were already standing there. And what do you think they did when they saw the cars approaching? That's right, they met them with dagger fire. A major, two senior officers, and a private were killed, and many people were injured.
The command appreciated the exploits of both sides. Two became heroes of Russia (one of them - 19-year-old soldier Oleg Petrov, posthumously; Major Sergei Gritsyuk, also posthumously - approx. BT), many were awarded orders and medals. For “wetting” each other.”
It is impossible not to mention one more conclusion from that crime. For some reason, in the patriotic milieu they firmly believe that in the event of mass unrest, “Russians will not shoot at Russians,” “the army is with the people” (or neutral). The events of 1993 showed that the military (not to mention representatives of other security forces) can easily shoot at their people, torture and burn. And these were still people with Soviet training, when in some corners of their brain the remnants of a humanistic upbringing remained. Today, a generation has grown up free from such sentiments: if they have to, they will start shooting not only at their own people, but also at their own mother.
Shortly before his death, Pavel Grachev gave an interview. In it he, in particular,